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Air Change Rates in typical Rooms and
Buildings

Fresh air - or make up air - requirements - recommended air

change rates - ACH - for typical rooms and buildings - auditoriums,
kitchens, churches and more
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The volume of fresh air (make up air) required for a proper ventilation of a space is determined of the size
and the use of the space - typical the no. of persons in the space, if smoking is allowed or not and
pollution from processes.

The table below indicates air change rates (air changes per hour) in common types of rooms and
buildings.

 Note! - be aware that it may be necessary to calculate required supply air based on no. of
persons in the room or building. More information about required supply air per person can be
found here.
 Air Change Rate
Building / Room -n-
(1/h)

All spaces in general min 4

Assembly halls 4-6

Attic spaces for cooling 12 - 15

Auditoriums 8 - 15

Bakeries 20 - 30

Banks 4 - 10

Barber Shops 6 - 10

Bars 20 - 30

Beauty Shops 6 - 10

Boiler rooms 15 - 20

Bowling Alleys 10 - 15

Cafeterias 12 - 15

Churches 8 - 15

Classrooms 6 - 20

Club rooms 12

Clubhouses 20 - 30
 Air Change Rate
Building / Room -n-
(1/h)

Cocktail Lounges 20 - 30

Computer Rooms 15 - 20

Court Houses 4 - 10

Dance halls 6-9

Dental Centers 8 - 12

Department Stores 6 - 10

Dining Halls 12 -15

Dining rooms (restaurants) 12

Dress Shops 6 - 10

Drug Shops 6 - 10

Engine rooms 4-6

Factory buildings, ordinary 2-4

Factory buildings, fumes and moisture 10 - 15

Fire Stations 4 - 10

Foundries 15 - 20

Galvanizing plants 20 - 30
 Air Change Rate
Building / Room -n-
(1/h)

Garages repair 20 - 30

Garages storage 4-6

Homes, night cooling 10 - 18

Hospital rooms 4-6

Jewelry shops 6 - 10

Kitchens 15 - 60

Laundries 10 - 15

Libraries, public 4

Lunch Rooms 12 -15

Luncheonettes 12 -15

Nightclubs 20 - 30

Machine shops 6 - 12

Malls 6 - 10

Medical Centers 8 - 12

Medical Clinics 8 - 12

Medical Offices 8 - 12
 Air Change Rate
Building / Room -n-
(1/h)

Mills, paper 15 - 20

Mills, textile general buildings 4

Mills, textile dye houses 15 - 20

Municipal Buildings 4 - 10

Museums 12 -15

Offices, public 3

Offices, private 4

Photo dark rooms 10 - 15

Pig houses 6 - 10

Police Stations 4 - 10

Post Offices 4 - 10

Poultry houses 6 - 10

Precision Manufacturing 10 - 50

Pump rooms 5

Residences 1-2

Restaurants 8 - 12
 Air Change Rate
Building / Room -n-
(1/h)

Retail 6 - 10

School Classrooms 4 - 12

Shoe Shops 6 - 10

Shopping Centers 6 - 10

Shops, machine 5

Shops, paint 15 - 20

Shops, woodworking 5

Substation, electric 5 - 10

Supermarkets 4 - 10

Swimming pools 20 - 30

Town Halls 4 - 10

Taverns 20 - 30

Theaters 8 - 15

Transformer rooms 10 - 30

Turbine rooms, electric 5 - 10

Warehouses 2
 Air Change Rate
Building / Room -n-
(1/h)

Waiting rooms, public 4

Warehouses 6 - 30

Be aware of local regulations and codes.

Fresh air supply - make up air - to a room based on the table above can be calculated as

q=nV (1)

where

q = fresh air supply (ft3/h, m3/h)

n = air change rate (h-1)

V = volume of room (ft3, m3)

Example - Fresh Air Supply to a Public Library

The fresh air supply to a public library with volume 1000 m3 can be calculated as

Q = (4 h-1) (1000 m3)

= 4000 m3/h

 make up air per person

Air Volume Calculator
4
No. of Changes per Hour (h-1)

1000
Room Volume (m3, ft3)

calculate!

Air Change Out Frequency in minutes

The "Air Change Out Frequency" in minutes can be calculated as

nm = 60 / n (2)

where

nm = Air Change Out Frequency (minutes)

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